Building 429 take their name from Ephesians 4:29 which reads: "Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up, according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen". SPACE IN BETWEEN US (2004, Essential) was their first full-length album on a major label. 'Glory Defined', the first track from it, became a #1 hit on several Christian charts and to this day remains a signature song for them. In 2005 the band won a Dove Award for 'New Artist of the Year'. Fast forward to 2008 and they released the self-titled BUILDING 429 (INO), which I will be reviewing here.
1. The album begins with 'Not Gonna Let You Down' written by Scott Faircloff, Jesse Garcia, Jason Roy, Michael Anderson, and Chris Stevens. It's a strong rock song of encouragement: "This is the hope that you've been longing to know/God is alive and He's never left you alone/So hold on through the tears.../Lift up your soul, don't you let go/Lift up your soul/Never let go".
2. 'End of Me' is a good rock song about spiritual surrender: "Once upon a time the story goes/I laid it all down and let it go/To lose it all, to lose it all/I took a step of faith and said goodbye/Everything I had I left behind to find true life/Well, all I longed for I found finally/At the end of me".
3. 'Erase' finds Claire Indie on cello and Zach Casebolt on violin. There is also some nice electric guitar work on this rock ballad that serves as a love song: "I can always go back to the place of you and me/And I will find you once again/Just like I remember/Time it will erase the world around us/But I will never be alone/Cause time can't erase love".
4. Tony Wood and James Rueger wrote 'Overcome'. It's a great modern praise and worship song: "Your heart was moved with such mercy/That in love You endured the cross/You've overcome the world/Rescued my soul/I don't have to worry/Cause whatever comes, You're in control/Forever I will worship You/I'm amazed by the things You have done/I am overcome".
5. 'Always' is one of two songs written solely by Jason Roy. This one is an adult contemporary ballad that begins with this emotional picture: "I was standing in the pouring rain one dark November night/Fighting off the bitter cold when she caught my eye/Her face was taught and her eyes were filled/And to my surprise she pulled out a photograph and my heart just stopped inside/She said 'He would have been three today/I miss his smile/I miss his face'".
6. Jason Roy and Sam Mizell wrote 'Shoulder', a melodic song about God's faithfulness: "And if you're on top of the world and you fall down/You're shaking inside and you can't find your ground/When you lose yourself, God will find you/Yeah, you need to know that the door is open/When you're broken/Come on, step on through".
7. 'Bring Me Back' serves as a sincere adult contemporary prayer: "Bring me back to the innocence of You/And bring me back to the first love I ever knew/Back to the way that it was when I was young/I'm tired of the mess that I've become/I want to see the world the way You do/So bring me back to You".
8. The uplifting pop song, 'Your Love Goes On', is up next: "One hope is never gonna change/One truth is certainty today/That Your love goes on/One promise covered all our shame/One Savior died to take the pain/And His love goes on and on.../Your love goes on/I see it and I feel it/We're not alone/I know that Your love goes on".
9. 'Coming Home' is a strong rock song told from the perspective of a prodigal son: "Every other road carried me away to anger/And every destination was just another point of danger, so/I'm coming home (2X)/There's nothing left to prove anymore/I'm coming home (2X)/So father, don't you close that door/Won't you wait for me when the sun goes down?/I'll be running straight to You/I'm coming home (2X)".
10. Last up is 'Oxygen (Bringing Me Back to Life)'. It's a cry to God for help: "And if I could breathe You in/I'll be sure to hold my breath/Cause You are like oxygen/Bringing me to life/So here I stand once again/Open me and come on in/Cause You are like oxygen/Bringing me to life".
I am quite impressed with this, my first album ever owned from Building 429. These songs offer hope and encouragement for those going through dark valleys and trials in life. These songs specifically point to God's faithfulness and love for us and encourage us to have an intimate and personal relationship with Him. That will not take all of our problems away, but it will help us navigate them. Jason Roy's lead vocals are quite good. On this album there are about an equal number of rock and adult contemporary songs. The band plays both equally well. I'm rating BUILDING 429 a 95% and recommending it to fans of Kutless and Jeremy Camp. For more info visit: www.building429.com and www.inorecords.com.